August 5 2009:Wednesday

Shochugeiko-Class 7: Shomen Iriminage

It seems like I am not the only one who’s happy for me to be back to training fully.
Teachers seem to be enjoying to have a person who they can throw hard.

In most of 2 techniques, Uke has to go around Shite, and sometimes has to (or better to) fly around Shite for your own safety.
As a lighter person as Uke (for our teachers), I’m a perfect Uke to show like a flying object. My body is not long enough to take the going around or not heavy enough to hold it too long, so as soon as the throw comes, I fly. The better their pivot gets, I fly longer, even though I cannot see the face of Shite while I’m in the air, I feel like I can clearly see the big grin all over Shites’ face.

Today, I have experienced something new taking Sensei’s uke.

Shomen Iriminage class was going fine, Sensei was giving quite hard throws to his ukes on his demo. Everyone was doing quite well even showing a bit terrified expression on the face. He called me for one of the last techniques’ demo, told me to give him Shomen Tsuki (punch), He kept talking with me punching for several times and suddenly the throw came from straight ahead. The shock came quite heavily and I was on the mat before I knew it and felt like my lung lost air or compressed, at the same time…I hit my head on the mat as well…(it was my second time hitting my head in a day!)

It happened in a flash. I could sense everyone’s surprise/shock with the air…I felt “a bit” dizzy, but I got up back to Kamae as I was supposed to do, thinking..where is my lung! Surprisingly, the shock occurred in a flash and the dizziness didn’t stay too long, so I was really fine after a minute or so.

Hitting my head on the mat is not a good thing to do, I’m always embarrassed when it happens, but I have to insist that women’s neck is not as strong as men’s! Sometimes it’s really really hard to keep it tucked.

After the class, everyone seemed a bit scared just to ask how it was like…Sensei was happy that I took it.

To confess…I didn’t get a enough sleep last night, and my focus was a bit blurry which is very dangerous for training especially taking the terminator’s uke.
Without knowing anything, he senses and pushes into those focus gaps. It’s interesting to see how he does but it’s a hard lesson to learn. Another lesson learned, I need a good sleep before Aikido.

August 4 2009:Tuesday

Shochugeiko-Class 6: Sokumen Iriminage

Parts Practice:
Knee forward as making T shape
Turning Uke's shoulder

Kata Mochi Sokumen Iriminage-1
Ushirowaza Ryote Mochi Sokumen Iriminage-1
Suwariwaza Ryote Mochi Sokumen Iriminage-2

Shomen Uchi Sokumen Iriminage (non basic)
Katate Mochi Sokumen Iriminage (non basic)

Class of 11 plus Senseis...13 people of the mat. Great number of people make the difference.
Dojo is too small for 11 people to do Sokumen Iriminage, we worked in groups today.

My fifth year, tenth of these intensive 10days intensive training. In the beginning, I thought it would get simply easier to do those 10days as I get more used to it, as I know more about the technique. I did not know enough, or anything at all. Its just always different and there are things we can work on all the time. Class is alive ; )

It took me this long to realize one thing. In those intensive training period, you are supposed to keep moving to do many techniques as possible, this means you get corrected much less, and people can move more. This gives everyone a great feeling, "I'm doing much more". I think its important to be able to feel that "I can", so this is a big part of the great effect of Shochugeiko/Kangeiko.